Scorpion Sultanate
Led by Sultan Mudamir Aljashe, his appointed Emir's, and at one point former Sharif Hasan Akezera - the Scorpion Sultanate encompasses all insectoids and human affiliates who generally align themselves with Aljashe's goals, and the Sultanate's way of life. Until late 2023, the Sultanates existence was little more than rumor for those who were not actually apart of it, with Western USR patrols and traders hearing tales of a gathering of giant bloodthirsty insect-men somewhere in the rend with a gathering of them in Utah. It was not until Sharif Akezera's "Eastward Crusade" and all that would follow it that the Sultanates existence was brought into the attentions of the continents other large factions - such as the United States Remnant and the Terra Concord. In general, those of the Sultanate live a life reflecting that of Turkish and Middle-Eastern communities from the old world. However, the vast majority of their populace has willingly accepted the mutagen derived from Caerus Labs, and as such, between the various insects they take after, as well as the degree in which they are mutated - members of the Sultanate tend to look strikingly different than a typical person. In the present day, the Sultanate has found itself in conflict with the USR, as well as entertaining a budding alliance with the Terra Concord. The chain of events including the introduction of the Concord to the Sultanate, the falling of the Dominion Skytower, the Battle of Caerus Labs, and the particular actions of one Cassandra Welland has brought a strikingly fast set of changes to both where the Sultanate lives, and how they live in regards to the "outside world." Governance, Economy, & Organization Taspras Within the Sultanate is several dozen community districts of similar size, called Taspras. Emirs lead these districts, organizing their local law, commerce, and other affairs of state. Emirs are appointed by the Sultan for proving themselves in one form or another, typically through battle. Colloquially, Taspras are referred to simply as different villages. Taspras provide residents with two large meals a day. In the morning, and in the evening, the call of the dining halls are sounded, where the residents gather, greet one another, exchange news, and eat together. Economy The Religious tenant of despising greed in all forms has a significant impact on commerce and work ethic, one such being that the abuse of service and the pursuit of wealth for materialistic reasons is socially frowned upon, causing the vast majority of insectoids to be self regulating in this regard. Currency, in the conventional sense, is non existent in Taspras that do not interact with those outside the Sultanate. Much like colonies of actual insects such as ants, or bees, Sultanate work related efforts are to the benefit of the neighbor and at large, the community. Workers tend to fall naturally into a job they are both talented at and reasonably content with, reflected by whatever form of insect they take after. Manufacturers of weapons, household commodities, and other such artifacts, keep records through Pheroscript. Agents in the employ of the local Emir organize the mass transfer of certain commodities, mainly food. However, given that the Sultanate's two main types of insectoid building material, silk and ant-marble, are naturally occurring, and have several dozen applications, most communities are self reliant. Construction on a small scale is often left to the community, but larger scale efforts may be planned by the Emir or "engineers" in his service. Perhaps the closest form of accumulated wealth is "battlefield glory", tokens taken from defeated enemies, completed works of art or science, all to the effect of social renown, and appeasement of the divine. Military The Sultanate lacks a clear, professional standing army. However, nearly all insectoids within the Sultanate carry a weapon of some sort, and have been at one point or another been exposed to sparring and similar practices. Those who do not carry weapons usually are their own weapons dependent on their mutated form. All within the Sultanate, save the disabled or very young, are expected to take arms and come to the defense of their neighbors should the need ever arise. Effectively this makes the Sultanate one large militia at all times. Naturally, the form some insectoids take makes them more talented at war rather than construction or other roles. As such, there is a "Warrior Caste" within the Sultanate, primarily composed of those who take after particularly lethal insects, such as the Mantis, the Scorpion, the Hornet, etc. This means that any threats to the Sultanate will first be met by the warrior caste, before the other sects of society are called to arms. There are few universal training regiments and tactics within the Sultanate. Local warriors and their abilities are largely tied to the local commander in the Taspra, titled the Artaran. A particular group of warriors under the command of an Artaran is called a Rakkar, or, colloquially, "Racks" of warriors. Senra is one such Artaran, who gained the position through excelling with the tactics of flying warriors. In general, Sultanate warriors lack formal, rigid discipline as they have never had a need for large military formations. This tends to translate into warriors having religious zeal and pursuing personal glory rather than focusing on effective tactics in the group. Talented and respected Artarans, however, can solve this issue. Akezera was well known in the Sultanate for brilliant offensive use of the various insect forms, combining winged and ground warriors to great effect. Akezera, however, was an exception. Technology Much of Sultanate "technology" is related to their biology. The only true electronics operational within the Sultanate, are those brought in by outsiders, or surviving equipment from Caerus labs. As a form of communication, as well as record keeping, insectoids have learned to "write" using what they call Pheroscript. These are sealed organic pods that vary in size, and transmit information entirely through scents only naturally perceivable by the insectoids. This has essentially replaced the role of almost all forms of conventional writing within the Sultanate. To match their innate complex understanding of underground structures, the Sultanate has developed equally complex systems of aqueducts and hydroponics to accommodate them. For lighting, there is simply open flame, or more commonly, the use of large glow bugs which traverse the tunnels quite slowly and give off natural bio-luminescent light. As a power source, the insectoids use an altered form of nuclear energy that derives from former Caerus facility reactors. In some areas, pipes carrying these energies are exposed either for lighting, or for easy access. Weapons Weapons among those in the Sultanate vary greatly. To suit the more offensive oriented nature of the Sultanate, most of their focus on weapons leans toward melee weapons. Any ranged weapons used tend to be low in capacity. such as throwing spears or harpoon-like guns, as ranged weapons are typically only employed in the time it takes to close with an enemy. By and large the Sultanate lacks adequate understanding of modern ballistics, but is quite talented with various forms of metal working. There are few materials they cannot deconstruct and re-purpose, mastering the art of alloy compositions to make both light and durable melee weapons. Some weapons within the Sultanate have begun to use forms of toxin and radiation, infusing these elements with both melee weapons and projectiles. More rarely are prototype weapons looted from the otherwise difficult to reach remains of destroyed or abandoned Caerus facilities. Religion The spiritual beliefs of those within the Sultanate are heavily intertwined throughout their lives. The insectoids are polytheist, and only came to discover the group of the deities they believe in through discussion of their visions, and dreams. It is thought by many in the Sultanate that the Gods of the religions of old perished during the "Caerus incident", which they refer to as "The Tear." This is propagated by the sentiment that no Gods would allow an event such as the Great Rift War to actually happen. Gods Syroxt -The God of suffering, strife, and challenge. This god is the closest to evil among the deities, but still revered, because it is believed that one is made great through having endured suffering in their life. He is part of every living soul, and any being who never has to fight him, is said to be doomed to a life of evil. Telgoma -The God of labor, inspiration, and art. To build a great structure, or create something beautiful, is no less important than to slay an enemy. Rykkad -The warrior God. One who represents strength, bravery, and often; ferocity. When the words and wisdom of Menspas cannot bring justice, it is up to Rykkad to instill right and wrong by way of the sword. Menspas -The God of wisdom, and the pursuit of truth. It should be every living beings goal to understand both themselves, and the world. To purge lies and deception, first by word, second by the hand. Vintmor - The God of Community, Family, and Brotherhood. Jayseil - The God of Nature, Growth, and Life. Caerus - Sacrifice. Space, and Time. The religious elements of the sultanate came to revere Caerus as a divine being, who sacrificed himself to prevent the complete and utter destruction of the world, mitigating the damage done by The Tear. It is said he had a greater purpose, but was sabotaged by those drowned in greed.